Social landlord launches programme to improve digital inclusion 

According to NHS Digital, people experiencing homelessness or living in social housing are among those who are more likely to be digitally excluded.

Tim Marsh, digital empowerment officer at Platform, said: “Digital exclusion can be incredibly isolating; it can prevent people applying for jobs, managing their finances or even staying in touch with loved ones.”

NHS Digital said that as the service transitions in delivering health information digitally, this becomes a form of health literacy, making digital inclusion key in ensuring that those vulnerable groups do not have worse health outcomes as a result of digital exclusion.

The Digital Ninja training programme, co-delivered with UK charity AbilityNet, aims to have staff capable of detecting the signs of social exclusion, such as not being able to afford WiFi or lacking confidence in using websites or apps.

It will also explore practical tools and resources to assist these people.

The 2019 Consumer Digital Index from Lloyds Bank showed that 22% of the population do not have the digital skills needed for everyday life in the UK and that disabled people are 35% less likely to have essential digital skills for life.

This new initiative will include inclusive measures such as Be My Eyes and Seeing AI, which help blind or low-vision users navigate digital technologies.

Mr Marsh said: “Through Platform Digital Ninjas, we’re making sure our colleagues feel confident to listen, empathise and refer customers to the support they need. They don’t need to be tech savvy, just willing to help.”

Platform is not the only landlord setting up such a scheme. It follows the news in January that a Welsh landlord is leading a new pilot scheme to bridge the digital inclusion gap among residents.

North Wales Housing said the Pont Digidol (Digital Bridge) scheme will help residents become “informed, digitally included and confident”.